No more 3G? No worries, nPerf publishes Singapore findings for 4G/5G mobile data

With the retirement of 3G networks across all our major telcos, it falls upon 4G and 5G networks to serve Singaporeans with functional, reliable connectivity. The natural follow-up question would then be: which telco or provider is most ready for the transition?

A part of the answer can be found in the crowdsourced results of nPerf’s speed test. The network analytics company recently published its mobile data findings for Singapore, alongside its network coverage map tool.

According to nPerf, the results shared below were collected over 12 months (1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024) from 16,319 user-submitted tests conducted on the nPerf speed test app (Android, iOS). From these user reports, nPerf measures speed, latency, streaming, and browsing across the four mobile network providers here: Singtel, StarHub, M1, and Simba (formerly TPG).

According to nPerf’s user-submitted results, StarHub tops all metrics except upload speed. That instead goes to Singtel, with more than 10Mb/s. At any rate, all four Singapore service providers are more than capable of delivering “excellent” (25Mb/s or higher) download speeds sufficient for 4K video streaming over mobile data, based on nPerf’s report and scoring system.

However, the network coverage map available on nPerf’s website is more interesting. The tool breaks down the network coverage into different technologies offered by each major telco and its geographical spread. For example, you will notice that M1 (listed as MobileOne) covers beyond the main island city and stretches out to the southeastern parts of Singapore's waters, which can be critical for users who are expected to remain contactable even if they’re out in those areas.

 The term “mobile Internet” in nPerf’s findings refers to mobile data, and not home broadband Internet connections.

nPerf is a French-based network testing and optimisation company with over 3,000 servers worldwide. The company mainly deals with telcos and ISPs, offering probe testing for broadband networks, as well as quality of experience optimisation for various network scenarios (driving, infrastructure, indoor and outdoor).

Of course, nPerf’s empirical measurements do not necessarily reflect ground sentiment and brand perception or address the human aspects of technological businesses and services (e.g., troubleshooting network issues, and personalising connectivity packages based on needs and cost). If you’re curious about our readers' network preferences, stay tuned for our Tech Awards 2024 Readers’ Choice selection, which will be published here.

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